Goal setting to achieve success

Setting a goal is easy, sticking to it is difficult. This is why we find so many of our goals falling by the wayside, even though we start out with the best possible intentions.

How goal setting leads to success

In this article we explore how Life Coach Directory team member Ross achieved his goals of completing a Tough Mudder obstacle race in May, and ask life coach Becky Wright her thoughts on the why we don’t always achieve what we set out to.

Here’s how Ross achieved his goal of completing the 12 mile Tough Mudder race:

“I ducked out of the first one. This was the previous year, I hadn’t done any training and I didn’t like the idea of it either. It was only a handful of my friends that were taking part, so it was easy to say no. This time, however, there was a much higher take up. It was harder to turn down.

So I signed up. The goal was set – to complete the Tough Mudder London West race.

This is where the struggle for motivation started – going for runs outside in the winter isn’t something that I looked forward to. I planned to run four times a week up until the week prior to the event. I was motivated, so much so I didn’t miss a run for the first four weeks. But then illness struck (as it typically does in the winter) and I missed six or seven training sessions. When I recovered, I found it very hard to get back into the swing of things. It was very much “I’ll do a quick run here, maybe a longer run there.” It wasn’t a regular thing and I could tell I took a step backwards in terms of fitness.

This is when it dawned on me – if I don’t stick to my plan, I won’t complete my goal. I made a commitment not only to my friends that I was doing the event with, but also to my other friends, family and colleagues that I told. Becoming accountable for the goal was the biggest motivation for me. It motivated me to train harder and eventually complete the race.

So if anyone else is looking to set a goal, no matter how big or small it is, I would say make yourself accountable!”

Here’s Life Coach Directory member Becky Wright’s thoughts on goal setting:

“Goals have always fascinated me. Many clients arrive for coaching wanting to achieve their goals. Many coaches market themselves in being able to help people achieve their goals, but how sustainable is this approach?

What I notice is that those of us who have a drive to success can often end up sabotaging ourselves in an effort to achieve the very goal we think will create the success. There is a strange logic in here somewhere, why might we do this?

When setting a goal for yourself, take some time out. Start to think around what it is that you want to achieve. Sometimes in life adding more to an already stressful life makes our goals unachievable. Think about a time in your life when you achieved something that is now non-negotiable. For example, you decided to end a bad relationship, you would never celebrate that success by going back to that relationship. You gave up smoking, you wouldn’t celebrate this by having a cigarette. At these points in your life you would have tapped into something much greater in yourself. Your deep sense of will. Your will to make a difference in your life and step into the transformation you need.

Many people fail at goals because they are just good intentions. Tapping into your deeper will is much more powerful. A good life coach will help you to do this. Your motivation is not an adrenaline fuelled by-product of your life, motivation is sits in your alignment for transformation.”

If you are looking to achieve goals and would like some extra support, use our advanced search tool to find a life coach in your local area.

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Written by Ross East
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Written by Ross East
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